Husband and spouse reign supreme at US Dressage Finals

A husband and spouse have celebrated an “extraordinary day” once they every picked up championship wins on horses that had been initially meant for the opposite.

Yesterday (10 November) on the opening day of the 2022 US Dressage Finals at Kentucky Horse Park, Anartz Chanca gained the intermediate II grownup novice class on his 10-year-old gelding Dazzle, on 66.76%. Anartz’s spouse Marta Renilla gained the third-level open championship along with her household’s Zalando MR, on 73.25%.

Texas-based Anartz, who rode endurance horses in his dwelling nation Spain, then showjumped, took up dressage in 2013 and “has by no means regarded again”.

“I’m feeling very happy with Dazzle. He felt nice within the enviornment. It’s his first 12 months at inter II and grand prix, so I’m very proud of him,” he stated.

Anartz Chanca and Dazzle

“This 12 months he certified for the Creating Grand Prix Horse at Lamplight, however he developed loopy hives which acquired uncontrolled in a matter of hours, and we needed to scratch [from it]. I used to be actually apprehensive about him. Simply the truth that he certified for this and that he’s right here and wholesome and going sturdy, I couldn’t be extra happy with him.”

Dazzle was initially purchased for Marta however was then offered to a junior rider as he “wasn’t her cup of tea”. A number of years later when Anartz had the chance to purchase Dazzle again, he “jumped on the likelihood”.

“I at all times thought he was a heck of a horse, and now he’s not going anyplace. I made that mistake as soon as already,” stated Anartz, who will even contest the AA grand prix and grand prix freestyle finals this week.

The present is barely the third competitors for Marta and Zalando as a mixture, because the gelding needed to bear main surgical procedure.

“My husband purchased him in Germany as a venture, however then he needed to have surgical procedure that took him out of enterprise for a 12 months. He had a cyst that we didn’t spot in Germany, so we needed to [operate on] his hock. I began driving him as a seven-year-old initially of the 12 months, however he felt extra like a four-year-old,” stated Marta.

“I slowly developed him on the fundamentals and when he acquired sturdy, the actions got here effortlessly. I waited till simply earlier than the regionals to qualify, then my second present with him was the regionals and now right here we’re and we’re champions.”

Zalando is by Blue Hors Zack out of a Rubinstein dam, and Marta has excessive hopes for his future.

“He combines his dad’s energy and hotness with the rideability of the Rubinstein line,” she stated.

“He’s a horse that offers you 300% – virtually an excessive amount of generally. I used to be so impressed how he stayed with me by means of the entire take a look at regardless of his inexperience. That exhibits our relationship, and I couldn’t be extra grateful to have this man in my life. He’s actually a particular horse. Despite the fact that he was purchased primarily for my husband, I stole the experience on him after the surgical procedure, and now he’s saying he may steal him again, however I say, ‘No!’.”

Anartz works full time as president of a truck elements manufacturing enterprise and stated being on the US Dressage Finals was “a pleasure and a present”.

“We now have such busy lives, with youngsters, the horses, and my job. We love this present; ever since we turned US residents in 2018, we haven’t missed it,” he stated.

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